Read Daniel Storey’s previews for all 20 Premier League clubs’ transfer windows here
What do they want?
For all Brentford’s eventual comfort in surviving relegation – achieving more points than the other two promoted clubs combined – it was platformed by two things: 1) The January arrival of Christian Eriksen, and 2) The lack of injuries to key outfield players. Brentford’s core six – Pontus Jansson, Christian Norgaard, Bryan Mbeumo, Rico Henry, Ethan Pinnock and Ivan Toney – each started at least 32 league games last season. Those should be the two considerations when planning for the summer.
The Eriksen situation is relatively straightforward. Thomas Frank has publicly urged the midfielder to rejoin Brentford on a permanent deal, pointing to his enjoyment of life at Brentford following a deeply traumatic event. If that deal can be done, it will be a game-changer for Brentford. If it can’t, they’re going to have to try and find a replacement. Without Eriksen, Frank’s team was forced to attack from wide and became a little too easy to defend against.
The second point is slightly harder to address. There is established loyalty to those six players because of their work next season, but it’s very hard for a club of Brentford’s stature to recruit new signings to be second choice in their position without them becoming nothing more than squad fodder. It’s also hard to envisage that each of the six can play through another full season without injuries.
Frank is unlikely to sign more than three or four players this summer. They will likely target a new right wing-back, although seem to be at best third favourites to sign Djed Spence from Middlesbrough, and probably a central defender to provide competition for Jansson, Pinnock and Kristoffer Ajer. Rasmus Kristensen is another right-back option and fits the model of Danish recruitment.
Another striker would also be useful. Yoane Wissa provided an excellent option off the bench and can deputise for Mbeumo, but there’s nobody else in the squad that comes close to mimicking what Toney does in holding up the ball and providing an aerial threat for the wing-back’s crosses. Again, finding a player happy to be a backup to an established first choice won’t be easy.
Related Stories
Who might leave?
Eriksen has technically already left, and there is talk of Manchester United (who were linked with him for years) and Tottenham (where he already has a successful history) interest. It doesn’t seem that unlikely that Brentford – and Frank in particular – may be able to convince Eriksen that he would be better at a home where he knows he will enjoy his football and has a responsibility to lead the team’s creativity. But Manchester United are a draw under Erik ten Hag, schooled in the Ajax culture that Eriksen knows so well.
One of the benefits of last season’s surprise success within a definite structure and style is that there is no obvious interest in Brentford’s other key players. Ivan Toney has not been the subject of rampant rumour and the other key cogs continue to fly under the radar. The one exception might be David Raya, given there are a number of Premier League clubs (West Ham, Leicester, Newcastle) who are reportedly keen on signing a new goalkeeper.
That aside, it’s only the fringe players that might leave. Mathias ‘Zanka’ Jorgensen and Julian Jeanvier have already been released at the end of their contracts, while Saman Ghoddos and Shandon Baptiste each played fewer than 1,000 league minutes last season.
What has been said?
“I think that we have done remarkably. I am very very respectful about this league – I don’t believe in second season syndrome or that narrative. That said, I know that we can get relegated next season but I also know that we can come 7th. Of course, we want to add layers and we want to build, end higher and play better football – that’s the aim. Look what happens to teams when they get a lot of injuries or a little bit of bad momentum, but hopefully we’ll avoid that and we can build” – Thomas Frank, 22 May
More from Football
Arsenal's transfer window: Jesus and Tolisso could fix biggest weaknesses in thin squad16 June, 2022
Wolves' transfer window: Big summer needed as rivals circle a squad stuck between two eras16 June, 2022
Aston Villa's transfer window: Will Gerrard sell Watkins to Arsenal and sign Luis Suarez?16 June, 2022Potential arrivals
- Christian Eriksen
- James Tarkowski
- Mykhaylo Mudryk
- Emmanuel Dennis
- Djed Spence
Completed in/outs
Ins: None
Outs: Zanka, Julian Jeanvier, Christian Eriksen (all released)
The Score is Daniel Storey’s weekly verdict on all 20 Premier League teams’ performances. Sign up here to receive the newsletter every Monday morning next season
from Football | News and analysis from the Premier League and beyond | iNews https://ift.tt/61R0zUM
Post a Comment